Utah bill encouraging teachers to get firearms training, carry on campus passes legislature

A new bill in Utah that aims to encourage teachers to carry guns on campus by providing a tactical training program for educators passed in the state legislature last week.

Utah’s House Bill 119 would establish the "Educator-Protector Program," which would include state-funded training to incentivize teachers to responsibly secure or carry a firearm on school grounds.

Under the measure, teachers who hold a valid concealed carry permit can participate for free in an annual program training them to defend their classrooms against active threats and to safely store, carry, load and unload firearms in a school setting.

Participating teachers would be expected to attend the free training course on an annual basis.